


A Potential What?

by TheMightyFlynn



Series: Moments Between and After [2]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Siblings, Gossip, M/M, Relationship Discussions, Shepard Twins (Mass Effect)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:14:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23149078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMightyFlynn/pseuds/TheMightyFlynn
Summary: John and Jane discuss John's chances with Kaidan soon after John is given command of the Normandy.
Relationships: Eventual Male Shepard/Kaidan Alenko
Series: Moments Between and After [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1653547
Comments: 9
Kudos: 53





	A Potential What?

**Author's Note:**

> Set literally just after you leave the Citadel for the first time.

"You're yanking my chain."

John stared down at the comm link, amusement bubbling up in his chest. He pressed his lips together in an attempt to not sound like he was laughing.

"I'm not. Udina retired Captain Anderson right in front of me. He then _gave me_ command of the Normandy."

There was silence for a few seconds. John could almost picture Jane's face, her nose scrunched in disbelief, and her bright red eyebrows drawn down in a frown.

"The Normandy. _You_ are commanding the fucking Normandy? Not even Mom has been given control over a ship like that."

John nodded quietly. His insides were still a little shaky after witnessing one of the most decorated Captains in modern history being taken down by a fucking politician. It wasn't right.

"I know. It's…" He paused, unsure of how to express what he was thinking. "He was an idol of mine. The man I wanted to be when I grew up. And now I've got his ship."

"He'd better watch his wife, then."

Unable to help it, John let out a snort of laughter. "If only I swung that way, huh? Maybe he's got a brother." Moving around what passed for the Normandy's Captain's quarters, he shook his head. "Didn't Mom always get her own bathroom onboard? I remember her bitching about it leaking and drenching everything when we were in high school."

"Oh, no. Will the princess have to do his primping in front of the peasants? What a tragedy."

"Look, smartass, fuck you. _Fuck you_." He rolled his eyes when Jane burst out laughing. "I should have called Dad instead of you. He wouldn't have spent the entire call abusing me."

"But you're such an easy target, Johnny."

"Don't call me that," John responded automatically. Jane was the only person to ever call him 'Johnny'. She seemed to find it amusing. Taking a deep breath as he collapsed down onto the bed, his hands behind his head, he tried to change the subject. "How are Angus and the boys?"

Jane's husband Angus and their three boys were a topic that usually distracted her from whatever train of thought she was on. This time, however, John seemed to be out of luck. She huffed out a deep sigh, sounding disbelieving.

"You know that _I_ know you use my family to stop me from teasing you, right?"

"Hey, they're my family, too."

"Mmhm." How Jane managed to sound skeptical with just that one short sound, John would never know. "They're as fine as they ever are. Stop trying to change the subject."

"The subject of how much of a princess I am? Strangely enough, that's not something I really want to talk about."

He could feel a smile tugging at his lips as Jane chuckled. It happened slowly, but John found himself beginning to relax. Speaking with his sister wasn't always a guarantee that he would come away from the conversation feeling better about himself – she had Opinions on how he should be living his life and tended to voice them whenever she wanted – but the feeling of 'home' he always got from hearing from her helped him to relax a little. Even if she did insist on teasing the living hell out of him every chance she got.

"How's things going with that Lieutenant with the nice ass? The one with the strange name?"

John's eyes flicked automatically towards the door, making sure he had locked it when he had entered the room. With Kaidan's workstation being literally just outside that door, he didn't want Jane's comments echoing out to him. Even if it was the middle of the night cycle, there was no point in taking the chance. He shook his head.

"Kaidan. And they _aren't_ going. Not only am I his superior officer, but I'm now also his CO. It's too complicated."

"So? You're also a Spectre, John. You answer to the council now, not the Alliance."

"I'm not sure that makes a difference." He grinned when she scoffed. "It's true. You don't know him. Hell, I'm not sure even _I_ know him."

"Then tell me." When John took too long to respond, Jane let out a deep sigh. "John Spencer Shepard. I have been happily married now for seven fucking years. I'm _bored_. Let me live vicariously through you. Tell me about this guy with the nice ass."

John stretched, tensing his muscles one by one, then releasing them. When he was completely relaxed again, he let out a soft breath through his nose.

"He's a good soldier. Heads the Marine detail. Got a good head on his shoulders. Very sensible. And intelligent. Keeps cool when he's under fire–"

"Are you doing this on purpose because I called you a princess?"

John blinked. "What?"

"John, you're describing a subordinate officer. I don't give a shit if he cries like a little baby every time he sees a gun pointed at him. Tell me about _him,_ and not how the brass would want to hear it. Give me the gossip."

He let out a disbelieving sound through his nose. "You do realize that I'm not one of your flighty girlfriends, right? We aren't sitting at a café, sipping lattes after getting our nails done."

"How long has it been since I've had the time to get my nails done?"

Nodding slowly, John had to give her that one. Jane was one of the top surgeons in her field, and the only thing that had ever slowed her down had been the birth of her children. He wasn't about to voice that, however.

"How the hell should I know? I don't exactly keep up with your latte schedule. The whole 'saving the galaxy' thing, you know."

"Oh, so that's how it is, then?" John nodded, grinning, despite knowing she couldn't see him. As much as she enjoyed teasing him, he knew he could rile her up just as easily. There was amusement to Jane's voice when she continued, though, telling him that he hadn't actually pissed her off. "Tell you what, then. The next time you want someone to bitch to about how _difficult_ this all is, or about your petty little crush on Lieutenant Nice Ass, how about you try calling someone else? I'm sure some of your N7 buddies would just _love_ listening to all of this."

Unable to help it, John began to laugh. Just picturing some of the guys from his N7 training listening to the kind of stuff he spoke with Jane about… He shook his head. No. There was no way guys – or even the girls – like that would put up with this kind of gossip from him.

"Alright, alright. You want me to tell you about _him_?" Taking a deep breath, John closed his eyes. He let it out slowly, his mind drifting over what he currently knew about Kaidan. "He's quiet. Not normal quiet, either, but _quiet_ quiet. Not shy, though, I don't think. He doesn't start conversations; he waits for me to come to him before speaking. Observes people, you know. Wouldn't surprise me if he knew more gossip than anyone else on board."

Shifting on the bed, he frowned. That didn't cover even half of how he thought about Kaidan. Clearing his throat, he tried again.

"There's this tone to his voice. It's… I don't know. It permanently sounds like he's spent the night before getting shitfaced on whiskey. It's really deep and… Can a voice _sound_ smokey? Because his does. It draws you in, makes you feel like the only other person in the room. I kind of get the feeling that if I asked him his opinion, he would give me a completely honest answer. No matter what it was I asked, either. And he…" He shifted on the bed, his skin beginning to tingle as he pictured Kaidan in his mind. "Fuck me, he's pretty. He's got these really light brown eyes, almost an amber color. His hair's curly as well. Not wavy, but those real tight curls that look springy. And he's _tall_. Taller than me by about an inch, I think. Maybe two. Hard to tell when we're in armor. And…"

He cut himself off, shaking his head. One hand moved to scrub over his eyes.

"John?"

Taking a slow breath, he let it out even slower. "Yeah?"

"You got it _bad_. How the hell did this happen?"

He chuckled, returning his hand to behind his head. "I'm not in love with him, Jane. I barely even know him. He's just–"

"A potential?"

John sighed. "Yeah, I guess. A potential that will never come to be, because we're both Alliance."

"You do realize that _we_ wouldn't exist if no one ever broke the fraternization rules, right?"

"I know."

"Same with half the spacer brats we grew up with."

"I know."

"So?"

"So, you'll be the first to know if I ever grow a pair and ask him out."

Jane's laugh had John grinning again. As they moved onto other topics, John's mind continued to stray to Kaidan, however, and whether Jane's assessment of his feelings was correct. Was he falling for him? Could there be more to what they currently had? They were questions John couldn't answer at that moment. But he knew it would be fun finding out.


End file.
